From Sandra Oh to Riz Ahmed and Shohreh Aghdashloo, here are the Asian actors and actresses that made history at the Emmy Awards
The fact that this list can be summed up easily goes to show that Asians are still underrepresented on TV in the West. While we've seen the most diverse Oscars roaster recently with Chloé Zhao and Youn Yuh-jung, there's still a long way to go.
With the recent Emmy nominations, it once again highlighted how little representation there is on TV. It's not for the sake of approval but for the recognition of the talented actresses, actors and creators that put their passion into the craft as well as the current and next generation, growing up to see faces that look like them on screen, knowing their stories and experiences are highlighted.
We put the spotlight on the history-making Asians at the Emmy Awards throughout the years.
1. Sandra Oh
Nominations:
- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Grey's Anatomy)
- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Killing Eve)
- Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (Saturday Night Live)
- Outstanding Variety Special, Live (76th Gloden Globe Awards)
Sandra Oh is no stranger to making history when she gets an acting nod or takes home the award—she's the first actress of Asian descent to be nominated for the lead actress in a drama series category at the Emmy Awards. Beyond that, she's also the first Asian Canadian woman to host Saturday Night Live and just the third actress of Asian descent to do so. She's also the first Asian woman to win two Golden Globes.
Oh is best known for her role as Cristina Yang on the hit medical series, Grey's Anatomy which earned her acting nomination at the Emmy Awards. But her role as Eve Polastri in the spy thriller, Killing Eve, received critical acclaim, earning her a lead actress nomination.
See also: Steven Yeun Makes Oscar History As The First Asian American Best Actor Nominee